Been doing some seaches, and sent emails to Gotgame, but can't seem to find the pc requirements for The Lost Crown. Does anyone know.

I dont see why point and click games need faster and faster computer just to play them.

I'll see if I can find out for you.

Hi Becky, I hope the newer games coming out will still run on XP. I heard rumors that new games would have to run on Vista only.Any truth to this?

thracia

I completely understand what you are saying! I have to check system requirements of all the new games now. My computer is less than three years old and there are some new releases that I can't play. It's a real bummer.

As soon as the system requirements are available, the publisher will send them to me and I'll post them here. Looks like there's going to be a short wait though.

So few gamers have Vista at the moment, that it would surprise me if there were many Vista-only games. Of course, a year from now that will probably change.

Personally, I don't see why the games couldn't run on Vista AS WELL as XP, just as games run on W98 as weii as XP. That kind of backward compatibility didn't seem to be so much of a problem for so many ADVENTURE games.


Adventure games really don't need great graphics or sound; and I am reminded of this every time I play an old classic game (even a DOS game).

I believe that Adventure Gamers are not bothered by lower system requirements.

Anybody with me on this?

At the very least, Vista game could be XP compatible at least!

Inferno and Metzomagic have shown us the way to the great adventure classics on newer platforms.

I for one hope and wish this will always be a possibility.

Unfortunately, there are few AVENTURE games released with each passing year that are truly MUST PLAY games (apologize to those with BAAGS).

Okay... I've had my little fit. My little blow out.

You may now officially return to civilized conversation.

Based on what I have read, there are going to be a few games released in the next year that will require Vista; these will be games that require DirectX 10 (which is only supported on Vista--and thus far I know of no adventure games that will fall into this category). Just about everything else, though, should be Vista/XP supported.

Hmm... Maybe MetzoMagic and the wonderful Inferno and all the other generous and helpful people (the heroic kind of hackers) will be able to help us non-vista people get games running on XP? Perhaps there will be a Virutal XP out sometime? Has anyone heard of anyone working on this (perhaps the wonderful VOGONS)?

Will we need a Direct X 10 work-around?


Is it all a conspiracy to FORCE us all to upgrade?

My first computer's operating system was DOS 3.1. Been through Windows 3, 95, 98, ME (the worst ever OS), and XP. I have had about 4 computers. It has been fun learning the various systems but I am getting a little sick of having to upgrade or get a new computer just to play the Adventure games I love. Right now I have an old computer with Win98 on it and my XP is about 3 years old. I tried to go to XBox but not that many adventure games for them and I just like the point and click. The mouse is like part of my hand. So, I am right there with you RAJ.

A little paranoid, perhaps, but basically I would agree.

Bill Gates was once quoted as saying that if you buy a top-of-the-line PC, it's an average of one year and a half before you are going to need to upgrade some component if you want to stay current.

It's been this way since I bought my first PC in 1982.

You can install Windows XP on Virtual PC 2007, which will run in Vista. However you won't be able to play any game that requires anything beyond a very basic graphics card on it. Some people dual boot XP and Vista, but you need to know how to set that up.

There won't be any Vista-only ADVENTURE games for quite some time.
Jonathan Boakes certainly isn't going to strand the bulk of his gaming audience by making his game Vista-only.


Most DirectX 10 games will also have a DirectX 9 option. And I don't know of any DirectX 10 ADVENTURE games in production. The only DirectX 10-only game I know of is an action/adventure. There will be more, but most adventure games are low or medium-low budget and the developers can't afford the engines to take advantage of DirectX 10 effects anyway. So why would they decrease the size of their customer base and create more tech support headaches for themselves?

Win 98 wasn't immediately left behind when XP came out. And XP won't be left behind now that Vista is out. Don't get all worried for nothing.

The real bummer of the whole affair is that I, for one, don't really care if the graphics and sound are stunning in an Adventure game.

Heck, I can deal with MIDI!!!
AND 640 x 480 is fine by me!!!
Geeze... it's CARTOON graphics a lot of the time!

I sometimes think I have a preference for first-person games because I believe them to be more immersive... but then I try a really good third person game and have a GREAT time.

Okay, Okay... that last comment wasn't really on-topic.

The only thing that matters to me is the quality of the actual gameplay.

It can be slide-show, it can be cartoons, it can be even silent with captions... but if the characters, plot and puzzles are all there... I'm gonna love it. Even atmosphere is just an added touch that I really like... but playing the LucasArts classics, -which I wouldn't say have "atmosphere" except perhaps Grim Fandango- is still a an experience of wonder and pure entertainment.

I say leave the hyped-up graphics and sound to those who need realistic bloodshed and explosions in their games.

I, for one, hope that ADVENTURE GAME makers will always stick to the slogan: It can be simple, but it must be good.

What? You didn't like the "realistic" gore in The Awakened?

0KAY, okay.
Beautiful graphics and enhancing usage of sound capabilities DO add a lot.
I'm just saying that they're not essential to making a good ADVENTURE game.

And... yet... Jenny100... you know me too well. A good, realistic-looking splash of blood curdles my spine... and I LOVE it!

But, really, of the adventure games I've really enjoyed the vast majority of them had unsophisticated graphics (although... maybe they WERE sophisticated for their time) and less than state-of-the-art sound; and spectacular "Direct X 10" effects ALONE will never sell ME an ADVENTURE game.

(... well... unless they do something really, really, really cool)

I think there are two issues being touched on here. The physical quality of the game (graphics and sound), and the game play (The Story and the user interface). Better graphics and sound are unquestionably better, but they are nearly useless without a captivating story to tell. If it wasn't so, the printed media would be dead by now. Most of the books I ever read had a very low ratio of graphics to the printed word. More day to day things like news may be another unrelated story.

Progress is necessary to make things better. I remember buying Tex Murphy "Under a Killing Moon" when my 20 MHz 386 DOS 3.3 machine couldn't possibly play it. I'd never heard of it, but thought it might be cool when I upgraded my machine. IT WAS. I even bought hardware like MPEG2 decoder cards to play DVD games. I still have it to play some of the greatest adventure games of all time, even though its a dead end now.

I think the emphasis on graphics has gone too far though at the expense of The Story. Even realistic movie quality graphics will Never make a bad story into a good game. If you want movie quality graphics, we had it ten years ago with 100 MHz Pentiums, MPEG2 decoder cards, and DVD games. No 3D movement then, though, no biggie. Point and click is just so easy. Slide show games are disorienting and give me a headache.

Anyway, I upgraded to XP when Win98SE wouldn't cut it alone anymore. I still run both operating systems. Right now one of my major concerns about Vista is DX10, not just backward compatibility for which I already have hardware. Just look at the limited benchmarks so far. Take a look at:
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3029

I think the games industry has some growing pains ahead. I'm glad I have a stockpile of older games to play.

Albert

I too have stock piled a lot of older games, as I like only point and click. I HATE keyboard , for me it takes me away from the game playing and story lines a lot, that keep me enthralled in the game, trying to find the keys, no thx. Whether it be a great game or not , I simply refuse to play them. There's always games out there with great graphics and sound that my XP would gladly take me through for a very long time.
Being fairly new to adventure games, I know what I like and will not change for anything. Tons of games I've not yet played and keeps me going through winter mths, when that being mostly when I play my games. So, I'm not too worried about Vista, I hope never have to upgrade to it, I will protest it until I have played every game that will play on my XP. plenty of classics out there and I don't necessarily have to play all the new & upcoming games. I pick and chose the ones with great graphics, storylines and a must at point and click. For those, they are neverending.

Hi-

I also prefer point and click, but Thursday am having a brand new game computer installed with Vista Ultimate. Can I expect to have any problems with any of the newer point and click games. I realize my question might be a little early, and sorry about that. And does anyone know about any of the older games from 2000+ playing on Vista Ultimate?

Thanks so much

Maggie

The Vista game list is ***here***.
Not all games have been tested so it's certainly incomplete. But those are the games that are known to run in Vista.

So now confused - new PC with Vista arrived yesterday. Will the Lost Crown run in Vista ?

Jenny, we are awaiting word on what the specs are for Lost Crown. Becky will post as soon as she hears.

Ana

I just noticed that Nintendo's Wii is getting some of the Point and Click games. Coming release is a CSI game, and the Agatha Christie game, I think both were released for the PC. Also the DS is getting a few of the point and click games. Too bad The Lost Crown won't be on the Wii. I'm looking at getting a New PC, maybe I should get a Wii...